BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases represent an international public health problem, in particular asthma in infantile population, the reports of allergic incidence in general population show a not uniform significant statistical increase. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of domestic dust mite sensitization and its relation with atopic diseases in our environment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In an analytical transversal study the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire was applied to 100 students from 6 to 7 years old in a primary school of San Antonio de los Baños Community in La Habana, Cuba between September 2006 and March 2007. RESULTS: The prevalence of allergic disease in this study corresponded to asthma in 27%, allergic rhinitis in 40% and 26% to atopic dermatitis. The 50% of the allergic infantile population presented a mite positive dermatological scarification tests. The major positivity to the dermatological test was to Blomia tropicalis in 52%. There was a significant statistically association between cutaneous mite reactivity and the presence of atopic diseases. Inside this group, patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis had a similar cutaneous response. CONCLUSIONS: Fifty percent of the studied population had a mite sensitization, mainly to Blomia tropicalis, showing a significant statistical association with the presence of atopic diseases, an important health problem in the studied area.
BACKGROUND:Allergic diseases represent an international public health problem, in particular asthma in infantile population, the reports of allergic incidence in general population show a not uniform significant statistical increase. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of domestic dust mite sensitization and its relation with atopic diseases in our environment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: In an analytical transversal study the ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) questionnaire was applied to 100 students from 6 to 7 years old in a primary school of San Antonio de los Baños Community in La Habana, Cuba between September 2006 and March 2007. RESULTS: The prevalence of allergic disease in this study corresponded to asthma in 27%, allergic rhinitis in 40% and 26% to atopic dermatitis. The 50% of the allergic infantile population presented a mite positive dermatological scarification tests. The major positivity to the dermatological test was to Blomia tropicalis in 52%. There was a significant statistically association between cutaneous mite reactivity and the presence of atopic diseases. Inside this group, patients with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis had a similar cutaneous response. CONCLUSIONS: Fifty percent of the studied population had a mite sensitization, mainly to Blomia tropicalis, showing a significant statistical association with the presence of atopic diseases, an important health problem in the studied area.